More in Insecticides/Pesticides

Mike Morgan lives the pigweed nightmare and wants to spare others. The Clay County, Ark., farmer teamed up with his neighbors to defeat Palmer amaranth in ditches, turnrows (headlands) and communal areas. This new weed weapon, a collaboration of farmers, is bent on stopping resistant weeds wherever they grow....More

The November issue of Corn+Soybean Digest offered fresh ideas in merging art and science to farm for the big picture. There are also corn residue breakdown myths, including a photo gallery. Read challenges in rail transport, and weed control. Get an outlook about corn production in China, and see what's ahead in soil health tests. Finally, read about the weather future for the Corn Belt. And don't forget regular pieces from Editor Kurt Lawton, as well as new ideas from Xperts Ed Usset and Dan Frieberg.

Included in the five agriculture stories to read this week is a reminder to pay attention to pesticide labels, particularly if planting cover crops. There's new research regarding demand for genetically modified seed, and a recap of the choices to make regarding upcoming farm bill options. Hear from Xpert Ed Usset about market price triggers, and check out a great Buzzfeed list about the top 10 things farmers are tired of hearing.

Five agriculture stories to read this week offer advice for watching your bottom line during this time of lower commodity prices. There are tips for winterizing your sprayer, as well as tips for successful weed control. Also read about the impact of low gas prices on the ethanol market. Finally, for some fun, enjoy the latest Peterson Farm Bros. parody, I'm so Farmer. Those fellas are so clever.

Jim Legvold’s weed-management story began when this Vincent, Iowa, farmer planned out his program, embodying a new approach. But the plot thickened after an extremely wet spring and cool summer thwarted his best-laid plans. Weather extremes, weed adaptability and low crop prices challenged his long-term plan of corn-soybean herbicides, residual herbicides and rotated modes of action....More

Weed resistance happens when a herbicide program relies on only one mode of action. This places extreme selection pressure on weed populations, which means a number of resistant weeds can survive the herbicide application, producing thousands of resistant weeds.

September soybean fields in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota displayed large numbers of escaped waterhemp. Perhaps this was the case in other states, too. While your combine journey across all your acres is fresh in your mind (and your partners’ minds), take time to evaluate your weed control program to enhance future effectiveness....More

Herbicides applied in the fall often can provide improved control of many winter annual weeds, including marestail, compared with similar applications made in the spring, says Aaron Hager, a University of Illinois weed scientist....More

The 5 ag stories featured this week offer management tips for wet soybeans, as well as advice for fall herbicide treatments. Read about possible corn acreage in 2015, and check out one farmer's strategy for keeping his farm ahead during lower-price years. For the weather obsessed (like me), see what NOAA is predicting for weather conditions across the U.S. this winter.

The EPA is registering the herbicide Enlist Duo with first-time ever restrictions to manage the problem of resistant weeds. The pesticide is for use in controlling weeds in corn and soybeans genetically-engineered (GE) to tolerate 2,4-D and glyphosate....More

Reports of more severe waterhemp infestation in Midwest soybean acres continue to roll in as we head into harvest, and that means more herbicide-tolerant weed seed going into the ground to cause larger future problems....More

The University of Illinois Extension has released a new smartphone app called Sprayer Calibration Calculator. The app will assist applicators with calculations used when setting up and calibrating a sprayer.

“Do we need to till or not?” Purdue University weed scientist Bryan Young often hears this question from Midwest soybean growers fighting herbicide-resistant marestail, waterhemp and Palmer amaranth....More

This installment of 5 Ag stories to read offers best management practices for insecticide applications to help maintain water quality. There are also some crop insurance numbers, and an interactive map showing ag production for all states. Also hear what one family is doing for on-farm conservation. For a little fun, catch a fun "Frozen" parody from the infamous Farmer Derek.

This installment of “5 Agriculture stories to read” offers some help when deciding whether or not to spray fungicide. It also talks about research using an old maize gene (from oregano) to help new corn hybrids defend against pests. The USDA announced an ag investment fund for pensions and large investors, and an Extension expert offers tips for marketing corn at low prices. Finally, watch a parody about weed resistance; I think most farmers can relate!...More

This installment of 5 Agriculture stories to read reminds growers to adhere to herbicide rotation, and offers new research about using clover as a nitrogen source for corn. There is also help for making farm bill decisions regarding yield updates, and information on GMO safety and labeling, and the consumer's willingness to pay for it. Finally, read about a farmer who lost his cell phone in a grain bin, and had it turn up in Japan....More

If wet weather has delayed postemergence herbicide application to your soybean fields, there may be some large giant ragweed that needs treating. Mark Loux, Ohio State University, offers tips for herbicide application, depending on resistance levels....More

This installment of 5 ag stories to read offers tips on assessing early-planted corn hail damage. Consider global fertilizer outlook and Chinese purchase of soybeans, as well as pesticide use in U.S. agriculture for the past five decades. And, have a little fun with a new soybean meme!...More

The USDA Economic Research Service released finding from a pesticide use study. Over the last five decades, pesticide use on corn, soybeans and other crops, as well as active ingredients, has changed dramatically in U.S. agriculture, including herbicide and insecticide use.

Wet or windy conditions may have kept farmers from applying a preemergence herbicide this spring. However, Bill Johnson and Travis Legleiter, experts from Purdue Extension say that many of these herbicides are still safe for farmers to use after corn has emerged so long as they pay close attention to product selection and application timing....More

Due to late planting, and then wet, cool weather last week, some farmers were unable to apply a pre-emergence herbicide to corn. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has some tips for applying a residual herbicide after corn emergence, including reminding growers to not apply herbicide with nitrogen, There is also a chart with corn stages, weed growth and the appropriate herbicides to apply....More

A recent trial by the University of Minnesota showed that using a preemergence (pre) herbicide in soybeans is beneficial, offering a significant reduction in weed densities early in the season. Weed escapes at the end of the season were nearly eliminated when using a pre herbicide, as well....More

Geez, the margin for error shrinks constantly, especially with weed resistance. The latest bulletin on this theme relates to Palmer amaranth’s tight control window—before 4 inches high. That gives you about 10 days....More

Here are five agriculture stories you should check out today. From taking time to tune up equipment and refine weed and nitrogen management to yield gains from on-farm experiments, along with a fun farming parody on YouTube, these are articles you should read (or watch) while you're waiting to get in the field....More

Wet weather and cold temperatures have not only prevented the start of planting, they’ve prevented spring weed control. Ohio State University Extension offers 10 options for weed burndown, particularly in no-till....More